One of several stained glass window bearing the Star of David at the Kerhonkson Synagogue. (Freeman photo by Tania Barricklo)

KERHONKSON, N.Y. -- A year ago, "Dovid Meyer," a film about a 13-year-old Orthodox Jewish boy, was shot in part at the Kerhonkson Synagogue at 26 Minnewaska Trail, just off U.S. Route 209.

The synagogue had just what producers of the feature film by Moshe Mones had been seeking -- the look of an old Polish-style synagogue. And at least four of its members served as "extras" to support the team of actors brought to the historic house of worship.

No doubt, it was a proud moment for the congregation of about 40 local families, some of whom trace their lineage to the congregation's founders in 1922.

Advertisement

But an even prouder moment came last month when the congregation learned its beloved synagogue had been placed on the national and state registers of historic places.

Since there are only 32 synagogues statewide on that list, the congregation at Tifereth Yehuda Veyisroel (the official name meaning "beauty of Judah and Israel"), is glowing.

"I think the synagogue holds a very important place in the hearts of many people, and we as a congregation are committed to preserving it as a place where people gather and as a center for our community," said member Laura Goldstein. "It is a sweet and precious little building, and I think it's touched a lot of lives."

Goldstein was part of the team that applied for the historic designation.

Guided by preservation consultant Joan Berkowitz of New York City, the group began working on the project in the spring of 2012.

"Joan was actually the one who suggested we look into the availability of grant money from the New York State Historic Preservation Office, and in order to be eligible, the building needed to have landmark status, and that's what got the ball rolling," she said.

The building stands virtually unchanged since the day it was built in 1924 to serve the Jewish farmers and merchants who lived in the southern Ulster County hamlet.

The land on a hillside had been donated by kosher butcher Louis Spiegel in a deed dated Sept. 10, 1923, according to those who researched the synagogue's history.

But it wasn't clear sailing after that.

In fact, its construction triggered one of the hamlet's most infamous anti-Semitic episodes after vandals damaged the Star of David on the top of the building, noted Kathleen Lafrank, who drafted the application for the New York State Historic Preservation Office.

"Then, in a gesture of support, the church down the hill helped finish the construction to sort of mend relations between the communities," Goldstein said.

On the nomination form, Lafrank described the synagogue as a 20th-century building that "combines decorative and functional features characteristic of Eastern European Orthodox synagogues with forms and materials typical of regional vernacular architecture."

Intimately constructed, the synagogue is rectangular, with a Baroque-inspired parapet on the façade, Lafrank said.

The original stucco front had been obscured by asbestos shingles in recent years, but they were removed for renovation, and the stucco façade has since been recreated.

The synagogue further features opaque and colorful stained-glass windows, incorporating Hebrew symbols and a large, wooden Star of David crowning the façade.

The interior features a vestibule and sanctuary and a traditional Orthodox plan defined by a raised bima (pulpit) in the center, as well as an ark and gallery on three sides that originally provided separate seating for women.

Adjacent to the synagogue is a community center built in the 1940s as a social hall and Hebrew school.

Many of its builders trace their roots to the Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jews, who were part of the wave of immigrants settling in Ulster, Sullivan and Delaware counties in the early part of the 20th century to escape religious persecution in their homelands, according to Lafrank, who obtained her information from records.

Goldstein said while the building retains most of its original features, it had fallen victim to aging and weathering over the years and was in need of several repairs.

Some of the windows in the front have been pulled out and taken to a local glass expert for restoration work.

"Our priority was the front wall façade, which had been underlined by poor drainage and insects like carpenter ants," Goldstein said.

The synagogue has been making the necessary repairs this summer and has kicked off a capital campaign to pay for the costs, she said.

"We don't have the final bill yet, but based on the initial estimates, it's going to cost somewhere between $60,000 and $70,000."

Berkowitz, who once lived in Ulster County and has ties to the synagogue, advised the congregation to apply for grant money from Sacred Sites, a program run by the New York Landmarks Conservancy for the preservation of religious architecture.

"They came in August, and we'll find out in October if we're awarded the grant," Goldstein said. The maximum grant is about $5,000, she said.

"Every little bit helps, but it won't cover more than 10 percent of the (repair) costs," Goldstein said.

Berkowitz said she was glad to give her services voluntarily to the project, which she considers worthwhile for a number of reasons.

"I think the building is a remarkable survivor, and I think in some ways, that is the most important thing," she said. "It's obviously held a very special place for the population for a very long time, and I think it's sort of reinvented itself. It is growing and includes weekenders. It's really diverse."

Even though she's not a member, she called it a "strangely compelling" building that has always captivated her.

"It's a largely unaltered kind of survivor of something that was very prevalent in the Catskills," Berkowitz said. "It's not a marvel of architecture, but it is marvelous in its own way."

The Kerhonkson Synagogue's spiritual leader, Sally Shore-Wittenberg, known to the congregation as "Reb Sally," said there indeed is something special about the building.

"I think of it as a little jewel box of a synagogue," she said. "It's cozy, and it has these gorgeous windows, and there's nothing pretentious about it. It's a beautiful reflection of the people who pray there."

Shore-Wittenberg has been leading the congregation for only about a year, but she said she is smitten by the people and their connection to the synagogue.

"To me, there is something extraordinarily welcoming about that building and about the people. They're very devoted to their community and to their synagogue, and they work very hard to keep it going."

The Kerhonkson Synagogue, which is not affiliated with a denomination, just marked the Jewish High Holy Days and drew about 60 people to the Rosh Hashana service alone.

Shore-Wittenberg described some of the members as "snow birds," but said there also is a core group that sticks around all year, as well as weekenders.

She said she plans to remain as the spiritual leader for a long time, even though her commute from Westchester County can be a long one.

In the meantime, she and the others are basking in the new historic designation.

"It's very nice to be recognized as a historic landmark and to bring other people in on what we already know about the special building," she said. "It's very affirming for the people who belong there."